1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hydrotherapy devices and, more particularly, to such devices having selectable water circulation rates.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hydrotherapy devices, such as health spas, whirlpool and jet stream exercisers, are becoming popular and are being installed in health and athletic clubs and in residential homes at an increasing rate. Two problems have been experienced with existing devices, namely the increased cost in maintaining purity of the water due to the high energy cost of operating the filter system and the noise generated by the filter system. The noise is particularly obnoxious in residential installations during evening hours.
Several actions have been taken in an attempt to overcome these difficulties, the most common procedure is to turn off the pump during periods of non-use and especially during the evening hours. This procedure eliminates the nighttime noise and reduces the overall energy consumption; however, the pollutant levels in the system quickly rise to unacceptable levels providing dangerous health hazards. In order to eliminate the health hazard, it is essential that the filter system remain in operation continuously so that the water continues to circulate, thereby preventing stagnation and the proliferation of impurities.
In an attempt to reduce energy consumption while maintaining water purity, users periodically turned the filter system on and off at specified intervals; however, this starting and stopping of the pump motor was extremely detrimental to the motor and severely reduced the life thereof.
Thus, there is a significant need in the industry for a device that is more efficient and generates less noise while still providing a sufficient flow rate to realize the beneficial effects of the hydrotherapy device.